System and method for monitoring and controlling billet length during operation of an agricultural harvester

Abstract

A method for monitoring and controlling billet length during operation of an agricultural harvester includes receiving, with a computing system, an image of billets created by a chopper assembly of the agricultural harvester, and analyzing, with the computing system, the image to determine a length-related parameter associated with one or more of the billets contained within the image. In addition, the method includes comparing, with the computing system, the length-related parameter to a target length parameter range for the agricultural harvester, and adjusting, with the computing system, a speed ratio between a feed roller assembly of the agricultural harvester and the chopper assembly when it is determined that the length-related parameter falls outside the target length parameter range.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for monitoring and controlling billet length during operation of an agricultural harvester, the method comprising:
 receiving, with a computing system, an image of billets created by a chopper assembly of the agricultural harvester;   analyzing, with the computing system, the image to determine a length-related parameter associated with one or more of the billets contained within the image;   comparing, with the computing system, the length-related parameter to a target length parameter range for the agricultural harvester; and   adjusting, with the computing system, a speed ratio between a feed roller assembly of the agricultural harvester and the chopper assembly when it is determined that the length-related parameter falls outside the target length parameter range.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the image of billets comprises receiving the image from a vision-based sensor located on or within the agricultural harvester at a location downstream of the chopper assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the vision-based sensor comprises at least one camera. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the vision-based sensor is provided in operative association with an elevator assembly of the agricultural harvester. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the speed ratio comprises increasing or decreasing a rotational speed of the feed roller assembly relative to a rotational speed of the chopper assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the speed ratio comprises increasing or decreasing a rotational speed of the chopper assembly relative to a rotational speed of the feed roller assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the speed ratio comprises adjusting a rotational speed of both the feed roller assembly and the chopper assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the length-related parameter comprises at least one an individual length of the one or more billets, an average length of the one or more billets, or a length distribution of the one or more billets. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a new speed ratio based on the comparison between the length-related parameter and the target length parameter range, wherein adjusting the speed ratio comprises adjusting the speed ratio to the new speed ratio. 
     
     
         10 . A system for monitoring and controlling billet length during operation of an agricultural harvester, the system comprising:
 a chopper assembly configured to chop harvested materials into billets;   a feed roller assembly positioned upstream of the chopper assembly and being configured to deliver the harvested materials to the chopper assembly;   a vision-based sensor supported on or within the agricultural harvester, the vision-based sensor being configured to capture images of the billets created by the chopper assembly; and   a computing system configured to:
 receive an image of billets captured by the vision-based sensor; 
 analyze the image to determine a length-related parameter associated with one or more of the billets contained within the image; 
 compare the length-related parameter to a target length parameter range for the agricultural harvester; and 
 adjust a speed ratio between a feed roller assembly of the agricultural harvester and the chopper assembly when it is determined that the length-related parameter falls outside the target length parameter range. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the vision-based sensor is located on or within the agricultural harvester at a location downstream of the chopper assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the vision-based sensor is provided in operative association with an elevator assembly of the agricultural harvester. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the vision-based sensor comprises at least one camera. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computing system is configured to adjust the speed ratio by increasing or decreasing a rotational speed of the feed roller assembly relative to a rotational speed of the chopper assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computing system is configured to adjust the speed ratio by increasing or decreasing a rotational speed of the chopper assembly relative to a rotational speed of the feed roller assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computing system is configured to adjust the speed ratio by adjusting a rotational speed of both the feed roller and the chopper assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the length-related parameter comprises at least one an individual length of the one or more billets, an average length of the one or more billets, or a length distribution of the one or more billets. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computing system is further configured to determine a new speed ratio based on the comparison between the length-related parameter and the target length parameter range and adjust the speed ratio to the new speed ratio.